Chicago Board of Education votes to fire teachers, staff at McNair

Despite pleas from parents and advocates, the Chicago Board of Education voted to hand over Ronald E. McNair Elementary to non-profit operator Academy for Urban School Leadership.

Before Wednesday’s vote, one McNair parent pleaded tearfully for the board to vote against the turnaround. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Tonika Dockery, a parent of a special needs child, was upset that the program her son needs won’t be available.

The school at 4820 W. Walton St. was spared closing last year as part of massive citywide action by CPS. But after being on probation for 14 years, as the Daily Whale web site reported, the board decided Wednesday it was time for a change.

All but one board member – Urban League of Chicago President Andrea Zopp – approved McNair’s turnaround. She noted that McNair’s test scores have been increasing, the Chicago Tribune reported.

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Choosing from about 40 eligible applicants, the church's scholarship committee selected 20 students to each receive a $1,000 scholarship. The Austin church has awarded hundreds of scholarships to West Side students since 1974.

The Chicago Board of Education is expected in early December to take action to shutter Plato Learning Academy, a K-8 contract school that has two campuses in Austin, for failing to meet the district’s academic standards. Parents, students and community members plan to speak at the Dec. 6th board meeting in hopes of saving the school.

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